In an interesting twist of history a great-greatgrandson has performed point duty on the memorial his ancestor designed and built.
Twenty-eight Squadron Gore Air Training Corps cadet Oliver Anderson was one of four cadets who made up the cenotaph party at last week’s Gore Anzac Day dawn service.
His great-great-grandfather Andrew Anderson built many war memorials throughout Southland, including the Gore Cenotaph which was finished in 1924.
The cadets stood at the base of the memorial at its four corners.
Each time the parade marshall gave an instruction to that part of the official party, the cadets were instructed by their officer to perform drills, which included present arms or rest on arms reverse.
He had been living in Gore for three years so being able to stand on the cenotaph his great, great grandfather had built strengthened his connection to Gore, Oliver said.
He was not sure if ‘‘ironic’’ was the word to describe how it felt 99 years later to stand on one of his great-great-grandfather’s projects.
He had spent the past six weeks practising the drills during the corps’ weekly meeting.
‘‘Repetition makes it easier and it’s second nature to you.’’
He joined the squadron last year and had been wanting to be part of the cenotaph party.
‘‘It was good to be working towards it and then get up there and actually do it.
‘‘It’s quite a significant event really.’’
He hoped to have a career in one of the armed forces when he left school, he said.
